Paint and Powder

A Star Trek anthology by Andrew Joshua Talon

DISCLAIMER: This is a non-profit fan based work of prose. Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager et al are the property of CBS Television, and creation of Gene Roddenberry. Please support the official release.


2374

Delta Quadrant

USS Voyager



Captain Kathryn Janeway was relaxing in the holodeck, Leonardo da Vinci's workshop surrounding her. The atmosphere, the feel of the place, it all put the captain in a tranquil mood as she worked on a small wooden model.

"Leonardo's helicopter?"

Janeway started, and looked to her side. Voyager herself stood there, looking at the model in Janeway's hands in curiosity. The captain smiled, and nodded.

"Just thought I'd try my hand at some gears and levers," she said. She turned the crank, and made the blades spin. Voyager watched, almost transfixed.

"Everything all right, Voyager?" Janeway asked.

Voyager looked back at her captain, and nodded.

"Yes. Everything's fine," she said, "the Hazard Team is having a beanbag tournament in the Mess Hall."

Janeway smiled.

"Who's winning?"

"Ensign Munroe, for now," Voyager said. She sat down on a stool, and picked up one of Janeway's sheets of paper. She hummed.

"I thought your sister was the artist?" She asked, turning the paper around to show off a technical diagram of an Oberth-class starship. Janeway chuckled, leaning back in her own chair.

"It's a technical drawing. Hardly the same thing," she said.

"Still, you got her nacelles just right," Voyager complimented her. Janeway stared. Voyager shrugged.

"Bonestell, right? She had those flares on her warp nacelles. It was a custom job, barely anyone would notice though."

Janeway nodded, smiling a bit sadly.

"Yes. She insisted they made her go faster. We all just kind of humored her," she said in quiet fondness. She shook her head.

"She was a pretty good artist herself," Janeway went on, "though she insisted she was no good. Just reproducing others' works in new styles."

Janeway sighed, and looked back at her faithful ship.

"I remember arriving at Wolf 359 on Billings with the relief force. Admiral Paris had thrown everything he could find together into a fleet. He said he was going to use the Oberths he raided from the storage yards as fire ships..."

She trailed off, and let out a long breath through her nostrils.

"I... Remember seeing her... What was left of her," Janeway admitted, "drifting like that, in pieces. She never stood a chance... But she tried to fight anyway."

Voyager nodded slowly. Janeway looked over at her ship.

"I know dealing with the Borg and Seven hasn't been easy on you," she said.

Voyager snorted.

"That's an understatement," she muttered. Janeway glared, but Voyager held her gaze without flinching. Janeway sighed, and closed her eyes.

"But... I do appreciate everything you've done for us. You know that, right?"

She looked warmly at Voyager. Voyager very slowly nodded.

"I do," she said, "I just... Wish we didn't have to make those decisions."

Janeway nodded slowly.

"Same here," she admitted quietly, "but we have to. And someone... Has to take responsibility for those decisions."

Voyager smiled gently.

"Well... If it helps, I'll visit you in jail when we get home."

Janeway stared in shock, before snorting to repress a laugh.

"I'd appreciate that."

"I'll even bake a chainsaw into a cake!" Voyager said cheerfully.

"Somehow I doubt that would work."

"I'll make it work!"


Just a poignant moment between Janeway and her ship.